Register for the 2nd Annual Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash! All runners, aged 14 and under, can participate for free! Kids will be able to finish indoors at the arena like their parents or friends will the following day.

The start line will be just outside the PREMIER Center. Runners will race through the 20-foot garage door, continue through the official indoor running chute while on video for the entire audience to watch and finally cross 2018 official finish line!

Runners will choose one of the following times to race.

11:00 a.m. -- (Line-up at 10:45 a.m. indoors)

12:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 11:45 a.m. indoors)

2:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 1:45 p.m. indoors)

3:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 2:45 p.m. indoors)

Fifteen minutes prior to each start time, runners will be asked to line-up at the indoor finish line. Race officials will then escort dash participants outdoors to the start line, before racing back indoors.

Pre-registration before August 24th will include:

Customized Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash bib with name of runner

Complimentary Wermerson Orthodontics Sunglasses

Customized racing certificate sent via e-mail after race

Racing experience through the official 2018 running chute and finish line

Registration after August 24th or at Marathon Expo will include:

Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash bib

Racing experience through the official 2018 running chute and finish line

Appearance is often the first thing people think about when considering wearing braces. In fact, in the past, some people decided that they would rather live with misaligned teeth than wear metal braces. Fortunately, there's another option available today. The innovative Invisalign system offers a more discreet orthodontic treatment method, yet it's just as effective as metal and ceramic braces. Dr. Chris Wermerson of Wermerson Orthodontics in Sioux Falls, SD, shares some information on Invisalign.

What is Invisalign?

Realigning your teeth requires constant pressure. That pressure can come from a traditional wire and bracket system or the aligner trays that the Invisalign system uses. Removable aligner trays made from digital impressions of your mouth fit snugly over your upper and lower teeth. Because the trays are made of clear plastic, they're very unobtrusive.

When you visit our Sioux Falls office for your impressions, we'll use Invisalign's special software to design a series of aligners that will accomplish your straightening goals. Each set in the series is designed to be worn for about two weeks, although you may wear a particular set for a second time at some point in your treatment.

Why should I choose Invisalign?

Invisalign not only offers a more subtle approach to orthodontic treatment but also provides these benefits:

Convenience: Invisalign trays are removed when you eat or drink anything other than water. The aligner trays can also be removed for a few hours if you plan to play a sport or attend a special event.

Excellent Outcome: Invisalign offers excellent results if you have a mild to moderate orthodontic issues, such as crowding, gaps or bite problems.

Simple Oral Hygiene Routine: Keeping your smile bright and cavity-free is as simple as removing your aligners and brushing and flossing as usual.

Register for the 2nd Annual Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash! All runners, aged 14 and under, can participate for free! Kids will be able to finish indoors at the arena like their parents or friends will the following day.

The start line will be just outside the PREMIER Center. Runners will race through the 20-foot garage door, continue through the official indoor running chute while on video for the entire audience to watch and finally cross 2018 official finish line!

Runners will choose one of the following times to race.

11:00 a.m. -- (Line-up at 10:45 a.m. indoors)

12:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 11:45 a.m. indoors)

2:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 1:45 p.m. indoors)

3:00 p.m. -- (Line-up at 2:45 p.m. indoors)

Fifteen minutes prior to each start time, runners will be asked to line-up at the indoor finish line. Race officials will then escort dash participants outdoors to the start line, before racing back indoors.

Pre-registration before August 24th will include:

Customized Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash bib with name of runner

Complimentary Wermerson Orthodontics Sunglasses

Customized racing certificate sent via e-mail after race

Racing experience through the official 2018 running chute and finish line

Registration after August 24th or at Marathon Expo will include:

Wermerson Orthodontics Youth Dash bib

Racing experience through the official 2018 running chute and finish line

THERE ARE SO MANY things that can make us smile, from seeing an old friend to watching a good movie to randomly remembering a great joke we heard years ago. Well, we’re about to give you another reason to smile: it’s good for your health! That’s right, smiling has actual health benefits, so prepare to flash those pearly whites as you read all about them!

Smiling And The Feel-Good Hormone

When we smile, it triggers a chemical reaction in our bodies: the release of endorphins. Endorphins are natural hormones that inhibit pain and produce feelings of euphoria. We get them after a good workout, and we also get them when we’re happy. What’s really cool is that our brains associate smiling with happiness so strongly that even a fake smile will trigger that endorphin release. So if you get injured, take advantage of this trick to reduce your pain levels!

Smile To Reduce Your Stress

Another benefit of endorphins released by smiling is that they help relieve stress. When we become stressed, our heart rate increases. Smiling (fake or real) has been proven to bring heart rates back down more quickly and lower blood pressure.

A study from 2012 involved giving subjects a stressful task to complete. One group had to complete the task while clamping a pencil between their teeth, forcing them to smile the whole time. The other group had to grip the pencil between their lips, forcing them to maintain a more neutral face. Those with the larges smiles returned to their resting heart rates the fastest!

Strengthen Your Immune System With Smiles

The more endorphins we get from smiling and the more we reduce our stress, the easier it is for our immune systems to keep us healthy. Our cells become less rigid when we are less stressed, and this makes quicker paths for our immune response cells to react to pathogens and other threats to our health. It can even lower our chances of getting cancer by reducing the number of stress-induced mutations in our cells!

The cumulative effect of all of this is that we can even add years to our lives by smiling! So get started earning those laughter lines!

Bonus Benefit Of Smiling: Productivity Boost!

When we are in a good mood, we tend to get more done. And because we can actually make ourselves feel better just by the physical act of smiling, we can improve our productivity at work by smiling more! Your coworkers could even catch the smiling bug, because we all know how contagious smiles are!

Let Us Give You Reasons To Smile

Even with all these benefits, it can be difficult to smile with confidence without healthy teeth and gums. Make sure to maintain those good brushing and flossing habits to keep your smile in good shape, and visit Wermerson Orthodontics to get the perfect smile you have always dreamed of!

We love seeing our patients’ smiles!

Dr. Chris Wermerson, DMD, MS
Wermerson Orthodontics

5200 S. Cliff Ave, Ste. 102

Sioux Falls, SD 57108

605-274-0555

Dr. Wermerson is a Board Certified Orthodontist and member of the AAO, which has 17,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad. Orthodontists are uniquely qualified specialists who correct improperly aligned teeth and jaws (bad bites). They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. Only those with this formal education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists are eligible for membership in the AAO. Visit the AAO online at www.mylifemysmile.org.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical condition.

BRACES REMOVAL DAY is the most exciting day of any orthodontic patient’s treatment, but it’s not where the story ends. Next come the retainers, to make sure that smile stays properly aligned. But how do we keep our retainers in good condition, and why are they so important?

Why Do We Need Retainers?

It would be nice if our teeth stayed exactly where our braces left them: perfectly straight for the rest of our lives. Sadly, this isn’t how teeth work. They are held in place by periodontal ligaments, and these ligaments take time to adjust to their new position. Neglecting your retainer allows those ligaments to tug those teeth back to where they were before you had braces! This is why it’s crucial not only to wear your retainer as directed, but to take good care of it.

Cleaning Removable Retainers

Removable retainers come in two basic varieties: Hawley (the classic retainer made of wire fixed to a fitted acrylic plate) and Essix (clear plastic retainers). The different types require slightly different approaches when it comes to cleaning. Make sure to follow these steps so that your retainer doesn’t become smelly and full of tartar deposits.

Hawley Retainer

A cheap and easy way to clean your Hawley retainer is by soaking it in baking soda water. Doing this every day would damage the soldered metal pieces, so it’s important to only do this once in a while. Baking soda is a safer solution than effervescent tablets, especially if you have allergies. You should also avoid using mouthwash, which can dry the acrylic out to the point of damaging it.

Essix Retainer

It’s important to brush your Essix retainer as often as you brush your teeth — but hold the toothpaste, because it could scratch the plastic. Also make sure that the water you use to rinse it is lukewarm. Hot water will warp the retainer’s shape. Soaking in baking soda water is a great way to deep-clean an Essix retainer too, and there isn’t any metal solder to worry about, so you can do this as often as you like.

Cleaning A Permanent Retainer

These are great tips for cleaning removable retainers, but what if you have a permanent retainer — the kind cemented to the backs of your teeth? Easy! Just clean these the same way you kept your braces clean: diligent brushing and flossing.

It can be tricky to floss around a permanent retainer, but it’s crucial for keeping tartar from building up around it and the backs of your teeth. Threaders and special floss designed for retainers can make this process easier, and you might even consider getting a water flosser if you don’t already have one.

If You Need More Tips On Retainer Care, Just Ask!

Whatever kind of retainer you use, you can always bring yours to our office or to your dentist for cleaning and inspection. We want to help you make sure that retainer lasts!

We’re so excited for you to move on from braces to retainers! Great job!

Dr. Chris Wermerson, DMD, MS
Wermerson Orthodontics

605-274-0555

Dr. Wermerson is a Board Certified Orthodontist and member of the AAO, which has 17,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad. Orthodontists are uniquely qualified specialists who correct improperly aligned teeth and jaws (bad bites). They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. Only those with this formal education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists are eligible for membership in the AAO. Visit the AAO online at www.mylifemysmile.org.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical condition.

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